Salt + Pepper
inspired by the last puzzle piece
About
The phrase "pass the salt and pepper please" will take you right back to gatherings around the dinner table. I've found that there aren't many salt and pepper shakers that are designed for this common action of passing. Salt + Pepper (Salt "plus" Pepper) is a modern take on traditional shakers that incorporates the sharing of the seasonings. I made Salt + Pepper for my studio class as a supporting project to the Pivot toaster. The aesthetics and function were derived by researching Naoto Fukasawa's and Santiago Calatrava's design philosophies.
Concept Development
I explored many unique actions that could be incorporated into salt and pepper shakers. I focused on the action of sliding one into the other because of the playfulness and simple functionality seemed like a perfect fit (pun intended) for the dinner table. The action reminded me of the satisfaction one gets from completing a puzzle.
Fabricating the Prototypes
After going through several foam models, I settled on the final design. Surprisingly there is quite a debate on how to differentiate salt from pepper other than a color change. Some say salt should have more holes since it's used more than pepper, others say salt should have less holes than pepper since salt comes out faster. Eventually I decided to make salt the larger shaker as it's used more, but I gave it one hole so that the rate of pour would be equal to pepper. I created these functional prototypes out of urethane foam and milled aluminum for the caps.
Final Product
The Salt + Pepper shakers are combined into one structure, making it easier to pass around the dinner table. I used strong magnets hold the pepper inside the salt. The indent on the pepper sends a subtle cue to the user to discover the satisfying action, just like putting that last puzzle piece into a puzzle.
Salt + Pepper by Nicholas Baker / Fall 2013 / Savannah College of Art and Design